Chapter 7 – Madam Rides the Bus Notes Additional Questions and Answers

Content structure

  • A. Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)
    • Part – I
    • Part – II
    • Part – III
    • Part – IV
  • B. Fill in the blanks
  • C. True or False
  • D. Short questions & answers
    • Part – I
    • Part – II
    • Part – III
    • Part – IV
  • E. Long questions & answers

A. Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)

Part – I

1. What was the girl’s full name?
(a) Vallika
(b) Valliammai
(c) Vellamma
(d) Valya

Ans: (b) Valliammai

2. How old was Valli?
(a) 6
(b) 7
(c) 8
(d) 9

Ans: (c) 8

3. What kind of girl was Valli?
(a) Lazy
(b) Angry
(c) Curious
(d) Shy

Ans: (c) Curious

4. How often did the bus pass through Valli’s street?
(a) Once a day
(b) Every hour
(c) Every week
(d) Every evening

Ans: (b) Every hour

5. What did she shout when her friends talked about the town?
(a) “Nice! Nice!”
(b) “Proud! Proud!”
(c) “Cool! Cool!”
(d) “Town! Town!”

Ans: (b) “Proud! Proud!”

6. How far was the town from her village?
(a) 3 miles
(b) 6 miles
(c) 10 miles
(d) 1 mile

Ans: (b) 6 miles

7. How long was the bus ride to town?
(a) 30 minutes
(b) 1 hour
(c) 45 minutes
(d) 15 minutes

Ans: (c) 45 minutes

8. What was the bus fare one way?
(a) 1 rupee
(b) 50 paise
(c) 30 paise
(d) Free

Ans: (c) 30 paise

9. What time would she come back home?
(a) 3:00
(b) 2:30
(c) 2:45
(d) 4:00

Ans: (c) 2:45

10. At what time would Valli take the bus?
(a) 12 o’clock
(b) 1 o’clock
(c) 3 o’clock
(d) 10 o’clock

Ans: (b) 1 o’clock

11. At what time would she reach the town?
(a) 1:45
(b) 2:00
(c) 3:00
(d) 12:45

Ans: (a) 1:45

Part – II

1. What season was it when Valli took the bus?
(a) Winter
(b) Spring
(c) Summer
(d) Rainy

Ans: (b) Spring

2. What did the conductor call Valli in fun?
(a) Little girl
(b) Sister
(c) Madam
(d) Child

Ans: (c) Madam

3. How did Valli feel when people laughed?
(a) Happy
(b) Shy
(c) Excited
(d) Brave

Ans: (b) Shy

4. How many people were on the bus when Valli got in?
(a) Ten
(b) Two
(c) Six or seven
(d) Twenty

Ans: (c) Six or seven

5. What was the color of the bus?
(a) Blue and white
(b) White with green stripes
(c) Red and yellow
(d) Green and yellow

Ans: (b) White with green stripes

6. How was Valli’s seat on the bus?
(a) Hard
(b) Wooden
(c) Soft and comfortable
(d) Broken

Ans: (c) Soft and comfortable

7. What was on the other side of the road?
(a) Houses
(b) A temple
(c) Green fields
(d) Shops

Ans: (c) Green fields

8. What did Valli see on the other side of the canal?
(a) Houses
(b) Palm trees and mountains
(c) Cars and bikes
(d) Markets and shops

Ans: (b) Palm trees and mountains

Part – III

1. How much money did Valli save for the bus ride?
(a) Fifty paise
(b) Sixty paise
(c) One rupee
(d) Thirty paise

Ans: (b) Sixty paise

2. What ride did Valli want to try at the fair but didn’t?
(a) Giant wheel
(b) Train ride
(c) Merry-go-round
(d) Roller coaster

Ans: (c) Merry-go-round

3. What time did her mother nap?
(a) 12 to 3
(b) 1 to 2
(c) 1 to 5
(d) 1 to 4

Ans: (d) 1 to 4

4. What did Valli avoid buying to save money?
(a) Chocolates
(b) Clothes
(c) Toys and balloons
(d) Books

Ans: (c) Toys and balloons

5. What animal came in front of the bus?
(a) Dog
(b) Goat
(c) Cow
(d) Horse

Ans: (c) Cow

6. How did Valli feel when she saw the cow running?
(a) Angry
(b) Bored
(c) Scared
(d) Amused

Ans: (d) Amused

7. What place did the bus pass after the railway station?
(a) School
(b) Police station
(c) Temple
(d) A shopping street

Ans: (d) A shopping street

8. What did the conductor offer Valli?
(a) A gift
(b) A juice
(c) A seat
(d) A ride

Ans: (b) A juice

Part – IV

1. What did Valli see on the road that made her sad?
(a) A broken toy
(b) A crying baby
(c) A dead cow
(d) A sick dog

Ans: (c) A dead cow

2. What time did Valli reach her village?
(a) 4 o’clock
(b) 2:45
(c) 3:40
(d) 3:00

Ans: (c) 3:40

3. Where did her aunt live?
(a) West Street
(b) North Street
(c) East Street
(d) South Street

Ans: (d) South Street

4. Did Valli agree with her mother’s words?
(a) Yes
(b) No

Ans: (a) Yes

5. Who translated the story into English?
(a) R. K. Narayan
(b) Ruskin Bond
(c) K. S. Sundaram
(d) R. K. Laxman

Ans: (c) K. S. Sundaram

B. Fill in the blanks

1. The story “Madam Rides the Bus” was originally written in —————— and translated by K. S. Sundaram. (Tamil)
2. Valli didn’t want to get off the bus in town because she was too _____________________ to go alone. (afraid)
3. Valli planned her trip during her mother’s ___________________ nap. (afternoon)
4. Valli felt _________________ when she saw the same cow dead on the road during her return journey. (sad)
5. Valli watched the bus every day and a small _____________ started growing in her mind. (wish)
6. An elderly man asked Valli to sit down for her own ____________________. (safety)
7. Valli felt too ___________________ to hear about her friends’ bus rides to town. (jealous)
8. The conductor offered his _______________ to help Valli onto the bus. (hand)
9. An elderly woman who sat beside Valli was chewing __________________ nut. (betel)
10. The bus passed a _________________ crossing before entering the town. (railway)

C. True or False

1. Valli told her aunt and mother about her trip. (False)
S/S: She smiled quietly but didn’t tell anyone about her secret bus ride.

2. The bus came to her street every day in the morning only. (False)
S/S: The bus passed through her street every hour, not just in the morning.

3. Valli’s mother knew about her bus ride. (False)
S/S: Valli left the house during her mother’s afternoon nap without telling anyone.

4. Valli did not want to accept a free drink from the conductor. (True)
S/S: She politely refused because she didn’t want to take anything for free.

5. Valli reached her village at 3:40 in the afternoon. (True)
S/S: The bus returned to her village at 3:40 p.m.

6. The story was translated from Tamil by R. K. Laxman. (False)
S/S: The story was translated by K. S. Sundaram. R. K. Laxman only drew the pictures.

7. Valli was afraid to travel alone on the bus. (False)
S/S: Valli wasn’t afraid to ride the bus alone, but she was afraid to explore the town alone.

8. The bus conductor was rude to Valli. (False)
S/S: The conductor was kind and funny. He even called her “madam” as a joke.

9. Valli felt proud that she had paid for her own ticket. (True)
S/S: She said, “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”

10. Valli didn’t let the conductor help her get on the bus. (True)
S/S: She told him, “I can get on by myself,” because she wanted to do it alone.

D. Short questions & answers

Part – I

1. What did Valli enjoy doing at home, and why?
Ans: Valli loved standing at her front door and watching everything happening on the street. Spending time like this was her favorite because she enjoyed seeing the people, the cars, and all the little things going on outside. It made her feel like she was part of the world.

2. How did Valli feel about standing at the door compared to playing games?
Ans: Valli felt that standing at the door was just as fun as playing games. While other kids played big games, she enjoyed watching the busy street and the people passing by, which she found just as exciting.

3. How did Valli feel when she saw new passengers on the bus each time?
Ans: Valli felt very happy and excited whenever she saw new passengers on the bus. She liked thinking about where they were going and what they might see in town. It made her imagine going on a fun trip too.

4. How did Valli’s wish to ride the bus change over time?
Ans: Valli’s small wish to ride the bus didn’t stay small for long. It grew stronger every day until it became such a big desire that she started planning how to make it happen.

5. What did Valli do when her friends talked about their bus rides to town?
Ans: Valli felt a little jealous when her friends talked about their bus rides to town. She didn’t want to hear their stories, so she would quickly shout “Proud! Proud!” to stop them, even though she didn’t really know what the word meant.

Part – II

1. What did Valli think about the old woman who sat beside her on the bus?
Ans: Valli didn’t like the old woman who sat beside her. She thought her big earrings looked ugly, and the strong smell of betel nut from her mouth made Valli feel uncomfortable and a little upset.

2. What did the conductor do when Valli showed him the money?
Ans: The conductor smiled when Valli showed him the money and held out his hand to help her up the steps, but Valli politely refused and said she could do it on her own.

3. How many people were on the bus when Valli got on?
Ans: Valli saw that only six or seven people were on the bus when she got on, so it wasn’t crowded. The passengers seemed friendly, and most of them laughed when the conductor joked with her.

4. How did the bus look from the outside and inside?
Ans: The bus looked clean and new from the outside and inside. It was white with green stripes, and inside the metal bars shone like silver, the seats were soft and comfortable and there was a clock above the driver’s window.

5. Why did Valli stand up on her seat during the bus ride?
Ans: Valli couldn’t see outside properly because the lower part of the window was covered by a curtain, so she stood up on her seat to enjoy the beautiful view.

Part – III

1. What did Valli do to save money for her bus ride?
Ans: Valli saved every little coin she got and avoided spending on things like peppermints, toys and balloons. She was so careful with her money that at the village fair, she didn’t ride the merry-go-round, because she wanted to save instead of spending on fun.

2. Why did the bus look like it was ‘gobbling up’ other vehicles?
Ans: The bus looked like it was gobbling up other vehicles when it came close to cars or people. It seemed like it might hit them but it always passed by safely, which made the ride both exciting and a little scary.

3. Why did Valli choose to stay on the bus instead of exploring the town?
Ans: Valli chose to stay on the bus because she was too afraid to go around the town by herself. She told the conductor that she wanted to enjoy the bus ride, not explore the town.

Part – IV

1. Why did Valli keep her adventure a secret from her mother and aunt?
Ans: Valli smiled to herself because she had just been on a big adventure all alone but she didn’t want her mother or aunt to find out. It was her little secret and she wanted to keep it just for herself.

2. What did Valli learn from her first bus journey?
Ans: Valli learned that life is full of both joy and sadness. She laughed and felt excited during the first part of the ride but later felt sad when she saw the dead cow. Her journey showed her that real-life experiences can bring many different emotions.

3. What were Valli’s mother and aunt talking about?
Ans: Valli’s mother and aunt were talking about how many things happen around us and in the world and how people can’t always know or understand everything that’s going on.

E. Long questions & answers

1. How did Valli plan to leave the house without being seen?
Ans: Valli planned to leave the house without being seen by using the time when her mother took her daily nap from 1 to 4 p.m. She quietly left while her mother was asleep and made sure to return before the nap ended. Her plan worked perfectly, and no one at home knew about her little adventure. It showed how carefully and thoughtfully she had planned everything.

2. How much money did Valli save, and how?
Ans: Valli managed to save sixty paise by being very careful with how she spent her money. She didn’t buy peppermints, balloons or toys and when she went to the village fair she skipped the merry-go-round. It wasn’t easy, especially at the fair, but she stayed focused on her dream of riding the bus. Valli showed how much she cared about her goal by saying no to fun things, and for her, sixty paise was really important.

3. What made Valli laugh during her bus ride?
Ans: Valli saw a young cow running in the middle of the road right in front of the bus. The driver kept honking, but instead of moving, the cow got scared and ran even faster. Valli thought it was so funny that she laughed until tears came to her eyes. She had never seen anything like it, and it was the funniest part of her trip.

4. How did the dead cow affect Valli’s mood?
Ans: Valli’s mood changed completely when she saw the dead cow lying on the road. Just a little while earlier it had made her laugh as it ran in front of the bus, full of energy, but now it was lying there without moving. The sight took away all her excitement, and she sat quietly without looking out the window. The fun of the bus ride had disappeared and all she could think about was what she had just seen. It made her realize how quickly things can change.

5. What lesson did Valli learn from her first journey?
Ans: Valli learned that life is a mix of fun and sadness. At first, she laughed and felt happy as she watched the world go by through the bus window, enjoying the excitement of her journey. That changed when she saw the dead cow on the road and she began to understand that real life also includes serious and painful moments. The bus ride taught Valli more than she expected by giving her a feeling of adventure and helping her understand what it means to grow up.

6. What did Valli say to the conductor when she got off the bus?
Ans: Valli turned to the conductor and smiled as she got off the bus, saying, “Well, sir, I hope to see you again.” It was her polite way of saying thank you and goodbye. She appreciated how kindly he treated her and how he helped make her first bus ride special. Although she was just a child, she spoke with the maturity and respect of a grown-up.

7. What strong wish grew in Valli’s heart?
Ans: Valli had a strong wish to ride the bus and visit the nearby town, and this small idea slowly grew as she watched the bus pass by every day. She often imagined how it would feel to sit on the bus and see the world outside her village, and that simple dream filled her with so much excitement that she looked forward to it more than anything in the world.

8. What did Valli do when the conductor offered help?
Ans: The conductor reached out his hand to help Valli onto the bus but she gently refused saying she could manage on her own. Valli wanted people to see that she was not just a little kid and that she could take care of herself. She wanted to be treated like a grown-up, and this small moment showed how confident she was while also showing how much it mattered to her to be seen as independent.

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